


Just...

by floatsodelicately



Series: Help I'm Alive [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 09:10:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4298994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floatsodelicately/pseuds/floatsodelicately
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily's birthday present from James - 1976</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just...

Lily glared at the package in the centre of her bed, as if trying to see through the paper with x-ray vision. The brown paper package was decorated with a red ribbon that was tied in a neat bow. It didn't tick, hiss or rattle when she shook it; all she could hear was the rustle of the tissue paper that lined the box. It seemed harmless, the only thing about it that screamed danger was the gift tag attached;

_'Dearest_ ~~ _Ev_~~ _Lily,_  
Happy 16th birthday,  
Love from James (Potter)'

"Oh dear Merlin, Lily, just open the damn box!" Marlene groaned as she walked into the room and spotted the suspicious girl on her bed.

"But what if it turns me purple or my hair turns into snakes or… _argh_! It's my birthday! Why can't I just have  _one_  day without Potter and his stupid pranks?"

"Look, Lil, you need to give him a break sometimes. He really is harmless-"

"You've seen how he is with Seve – how he is with  _people_ ," she amended, thinking of her former best friend. "He's a bully and he's arrogant and he's-he's-"

Marlene rolled her eyes and sat on the edge of Lily's bed, "Trying to impress you.  _Granted_ , he might be going the wrong way about it, but he's desperate. Just open the present or he'll hound you about it all the way through dinner, which is in 10 minutes, so hurry up!"

With that, the tall blonde swept out of the dormitory and into the common room, leaving Lily to stare at the gift again. She picked it up, again noticing that there were no ominous noises coming from inside, and pulled on the edge of the ribbon. The ribbon unravelled, leaving her free to tear through the plain parcel paper and reach the card box inside. She unfolded the top of the box and found thick tissue paper, which she then pulled out.

There were no dungbombs or fireworks or confetti…there was just a mug.

There in the thick grey tissue paper laid a white porcelain mug. She took it out of the box to examine it and found no charms or jinxes had been placed on the mug, there was just the writing on the bottom that declared it to be from ' _Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent'_ and the picture on the side.

"Why would he get me a mug from a deer park?" she asked as she took in the silhouette of the stag on the side. Her eyes went wide with panic and she reached up to feel her head, letting the mug bounce softly on the bed. She breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't come into contact with any newly sprouted antlers and looked back at the present. " _Just a mug_ ," she smiled.


End file.
